Life in London Past Review

By (Marketing And International Business, Villanova) - abroad from 01/06/2013 to 04/27/2013 with

Villanova University: London or Singapore - Global Citizens Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I became much more independent during my time abroad--even more so than at Villanova. I became very comfortable navigating the city, and planning travel/traveling to other cities in a group of students. The internship component also gave me great insight into international business and the Public Relations sector.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Relevant, engaging courses. Global perspectives on standard VSB courses

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

EUSA had helpful and attentive staff who were available to answer any questions about London and GCP. Most students were given internships that matched their interests; however, many students were not placed as quickly as advertised. Similarly, EUSA was not as helpful as promised in the Visa Application process.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Clean, safe, spacious housing. However, maintenance issues were never fully handled and building staff could be rude/abrupt--given very little notice of building maintenance/fumigations/etc

* Food:

Well-equipped kitchens for cooking/baking, and situated near many restaurants/grocery stores

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

By the end, I felt very comfortable living in London and being immersed in English culture. However, there was very little interaction with Londoners--especially of college-age

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

We were given access to a local clinic, and EUSA was very helpful in directing us to the health care center

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

London was an extremely expensive city--especially for a college-student's budget.

Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Cooking dinner as a group saves a ton of money. We tried to do this at least once a week. Sainsbury's was a quality, inexpensive grocery store--as compared to Waitrose.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Internships
  • Living in a diverse, modern city
  • Unique freshman year experience
* What could be improved?
  • More integration with local students
  • Less EUSA scheduled activities
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Make an effort to venture into the city, and speak to as many international people as possible. There is no way to do everything you will want to do while abroad, so make sure to take advantage of every opportunity you are given.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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The Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.